The room is sparsely lit, filled with the soft hum from medical monitors. The mobility meter piano, along with the medical pads, kept Lucian alive. He braved the painful encounter that gave him a near-death experience. He lay on a bed, looking at a white ceiling, but deep down, he brooded over something that felt deeply broken.Dys liked to gaze down at the intricate designs imprinted on her engagement ring. Sometime in the past she had been able to accept that ring. However, did she think it was going to turn out to be a gift? “Give me that ring!” she asked impatiently. “I am ready to accept whatever you tell me. Just give that ring to me!” “I surrender” came a calm reply, but that required everyone to stop whatever it was they were doing. Otherwise every panel in the tower would burst.Lucian squeezed his eyes shut. He could still hear her voice. *"I’ll marry Max."* His breath hitched. He hadn’t seen it at first, but now he understood—Dysis had been willing to shackle herself to
What was unsaid was more menacing than actual words on the Levi estate. Even after cursing it, it settled into the bones like a powerful curse. Along came Adam Levi to Alexander’s estate, where the underlying resentment and the distance of years instantly cloaked him like a thick blanket.For the first time in years, Alexander had agreed to see his father. It was an uncharacteristic move, one that had even Milo raising an eyebrow when he escorted Adam into Alexander’s private office.Alexander stood behind his desk, a vision of control in his tailored black suit, his icy-blue eyes as unreadable as ever. Adam, in contrast, carried his age with an aura of power only a man who had ruled the underworld could possess. The father and son stood across from each other, two titans in the same bloodline, separated by years of mistakes.Adam was the first to break the silence. “You finally stopped running from me.”“I wasn’t running,” Alexander said flatly. “I was building something stronger tha
Alexander's office was a tense place, the smell of good whisky and smooth leather mingling with a chill—something dangerous. Shadows danced across the deep mahogany walls as a fire whispered quietly in the hearth. It was a room designed for power, a place where underworld kings made their decisions.And this evening, it would witness something much more sinister. Sofie stood by the desk, composed yet self-satisfied, her tailored red dress clinging to every contour, the pronounced V-neck highlighting the grace of her figure. Her golden locks were elegantly styled in smooth waves, and her crimson nails drummed continuously on the surface of her phone. She was ready. With a grin teasing her lips, she pushed the phone across the desk. The display remained vivid, casting light on the incriminating scene—Dysis and Lucian, just inches apart, his hand poised near her cheek, their eyes entwined in an undeniably intimate connection. Sofie leaned her head, observing Alexander, anticipating t
"Do you think your tears are important to me?" I knelt in front of my father, shaking, the cold cement floor soaking into my knees as I attempted to swallow the sob that had stuck in my throat. As usual, his remarks pierced me deeply. His words filled the little, darkened room, brimming with disdain. For as long as I could remember, I had been forced to live this existence, and every beat of my heart served as a reminder of it.I didn’t look up at him. I couldn’t. His cruel eyes were too much to bear. Too much to endure. “Answer me!” His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair and jerking my head up. The pain stung, but it wasn’t new. Nothing he did was new anymore. He’d punished me in ways I couldn’t count, but today was different. Today, it wasn’t just my body he was angry with; it was my existence. “Why won’t you ever listen?” His breath reeked of whiskey, and his fingers tightened, pulling me painfully closer. “You’re worthless, just like your mother. A disappointment. A bur
Like a drumbeat marching towards my demise, the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated in the confined hallway, methodical and harsh. Something like panic replaced my father's customary arrogant confidence as his gaze darted towards the doorway. I saw a small tightening of his jaw, although it was subtle. The man who walked into the room caught me off guard. He was tall, and his broad shoulders were encircled by a sleek black suit that radiated might and riches. The way his icy-blue eyes scanned the room made me feel vulnerable, like if he could see into every dark corner of my life in an instant. His presence filled the room like a rising storm, and not a single strand of his dark hair was out of place. Levi Alexander. Although I had heard the name, I didn't know him. Everybody had. He was more than simply a man; among the city's shadowiest nooks and crannies, he was a legend. A mafia boss who used brutality and terror to establish his empire.And now, he was here. “Mr. Levi,” my fat
“You’ll like her,” my father said, his voice a blend of forced confidence and desperation. “She’s obedient. Quiet. A real prize, Mr. Levi.”My ears rang, his words fading into noise as the room closed in on me. My claws pushed into the tattered fabric of my skirt, and my pulse raced like a frantic drum in my chest. Obedient. Quiet. I felt like I was just a commodity to be weighed and exchanged. Alexander Levi did not respond soon away. He stood in the centre of the room, his back straight and his posture tight, emanating might and danger. His icy-blue eyes moved between my father and me, appraising the situation with a coolness that made him even more horrifying. "Is that what you think of her?" he finally questioned, his tone distant. He didn't look at me as he talked, as if I didn't deserve to be addressed directly. “A prize?”My father chuckled nervously, rubbing his hands together. “She’s young and strong. She can be molded, taught. Whatever you need her to be.”A wave of nausea h
My frantic breaths were drowned out as the sleek black automobile rushed forward, its engine roaring to life. I was now flanked by the men who had pulled me from the house, their features blank and austere. My heart hammered so fiercely I thought it may bruise my ribs, and my wrists hurt where their clutches had been too tight.My father’s house, my prison, disappeared in the rearview mirror. I didn’t look back. What was there to see? The only home I’d ever known had betrayed me, just as its walls always had. But this wasn’t freedom. This was something worse. The man sitting to my left adjusted his cufflinks, his silence unnerving. “Where are you taking me?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I expected given the panic roaring through me. Neither of them answered. “Hey!” I forcefully pressed my hand against the partition that separated us from the driver. "Where are we heading?"The driver didn’t so much as flinch. My pulse thundered. I looked between the two men and swallowed hard
I stood at the entrance of the Levi mansion, the towering structure casting a shadow over me that seemed to swallow every ounce of light. The grandiose double doors that had once seemed to promise safety now felt like the mouth of some deep, hungry abyss, waiting to consume me whole. As Vee led me through the grand hall, I couldn’t help but notice the stark difference between the mansion’s imposing exterior and its lavish interior. The floors were polished to a mirror finish, gleaming in the flickering light of a dozen ornate chandeliers. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries and priceless works of art, but none of it made me feel safe. It all felt… wrong. Every inch of it screamed power, control, and isolation.Vee walked ahead of me without looking back, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Her silence made my pulse race. I wanted to speak, to ask questions, but what was the point? What could I say that would change anything? The door to my new room wa
Alexander's office was a tense place, the smell of good whisky and smooth leather mingling with a chill—something dangerous. Shadows danced across the deep mahogany walls as a fire whispered quietly in the hearth. It was a room designed for power, a place where underworld kings made their decisions.And this evening, it would witness something much more sinister. Sofie stood by the desk, composed yet self-satisfied, her tailored red dress clinging to every contour, the pronounced V-neck highlighting the grace of her figure. Her golden locks were elegantly styled in smooth waves, and her crimson nails drummed continuously on the surface of her phone. She was ready. With a grin teasing her lips, she pushed the phone across the desk. The display remained vivid, casting light on the incriminating scene—Dysis and Lucian, just inches apart, his hand poised near her cheek, their eyes entwined in an undeniably intimate connection. Sofie leaned her head, observing Alexander, anticipating t
What was unsaid was more menacing than actual words on the Levi estate. Even after cursing it, it settled into the bones like a powerful curse. Along came Adam Levi to Alexander’s estate, where the underlying resentment and the distance of years instantly cloaked him like a thick blanket.For the first time in years, Alexander had agreed to see his father. It was an uncharacteristic move, one that had even Milo raising an eyebrow when he escorted Adam into Alexander’s private office.Alexander stood behind his desk, a vision of control in his tailored black suit, his icy-blue eyes as unreadable as ever. Adam, in contrast, carried his age with an aura of power only a man who had ruled the underworld could possess. The father and son stood across from each other, two titans in the same bloodline, separated by years of mistakes.Adam was the first to break the silence. “You finally stopped running from me.”“I wasn’t running,” Alexander said flatly. “I was building something stronger tha
The room is sparsely lit, filled with the soft hum from medical monitors. The mobility meter piano, along with the medical pads, kept Lucian alive. He braved the painful encounter that gave him a near-death experience. He lay on a bed, looking at a white ceiling, but deep down, he brooded over something that felt deeply broken.Dys liked to gaze down at the intricate designs imprinted on her engagement ring. Sometime in the past she had been able to accept that ring. However, did she think it was going to turn out to be a gift? “Give me that ring!” she asked impatiently. “I am ready to accept whatever you tell me. Just give that ring to me!” “I surrender” came a calm reply, but that required everyone to stop whatever it was they were doing. Otherwise every panel in the tower would burst.Lucian squeezed his eyes shut. He could still hear her voice. *"I’ll marry Max."* His breath hitched. He hadn’t seen it at first, but now he understood—Dysis had been willing to shackle herself to
Dysis’s heart stilled. "Are you inquiring about my true identity?" she whispered, just loud enough to be audible. Alexander paused, then gradually withdrew his hand, leaving a lingering warmth behind. His face was inscrutable, yet there was a glimmer in his eyes—something contained, something he had been suppressing."You've been looking for solutions," he said smoothly, getting up from the bed and walking toward the mahogany desk in the corner. The faint light from the chandelier created elongated shadows over his face, accentuating his already prominent features. "It’s time you began obtaining them." Her heartbeat roared in her ears. "What are you saying?" He did not respond right away. Instead, he opened a drawer, retrieving a smooth black folder. He paused for just a moment before facing her, his expression inscrutable. "Your father wasn't the sole one hiding things from you." A shiver coursed through Dysis’s body. She gulped nervously, her fingers pressing into the gentle m
There were many unspoken words in Alexander's chamber. An unexpected tiredness settled deep in Dysis's bones after everything that had transpired. Even though the heat from the shower had only slightly reduced the stress in her muscles, a new type of tension replaced it as soon as Alexander carried her out. He moved fluidly across the room, holding her tightly but cautiously, as though she were something delicate—something valuable. Her pulse raced at the juxtaposition between this compassion and his previous fury. When he arrived at the bed, he carefully laid her down, wrapped her in a towel, and moved away."Keeping what little control he still had, he added, "Your clothes are on the bed." "Change."Unable to look him in the eye, Dysis nodded. "Don't ever do that again" was the firm command she could still hear in his voice, and she could still feel his warm touch on her flesh. It wasn't until he turned away and left the room that she realised she was holding back her breath. As Dys
Death, gunpowder, and blood were all strongly scented in the warehouse. Max Carter's lifeless eyes gazed into emptiness as his body remained still. But Alexander barely spared him a glance. His focus was on Dysis—the woman who had just risked everything in a gamble he could not yet understand.John had carried Lucian out, his lifeless body serving as a reminder of how nearly everything had gone awry. Alexander's slow, deliberate breathing was the only sound in the terrible silence that followed the assault. And then, suddenly, he was reaching for Dysis, his fingers firmly around her arm. "Did you mean it?" His voice was harsh, low, and full of barely contained rage. "Did you truly intend to marry Max?" She did not flinch even though Dysis's pulse thundered in her ears. She looked directly into Alexander's cold-blue eyes, which were blazing with a combustible energy.“I was trying to help,” she murmured."Help?" Alexander’s grip tightened. “That was your plan? You thought sacrificin
The storeroom smelt strongly of blood and gunpowder. In the dim overhead light, long shadows moved across the concrete floor. Standing between two devils, Dysis felt the oppressive pressure upon her chest, knowing that whatever she decided, she would lose something. Alexander Levi's demeanour was a flawless mask of controlled rage, and his icy-blue eyes pierced hers. Under his rolled-up sleeves, the veins in his forearm were visible as his hold on his rifle tightened. Dysis understood that if she didn't talk carefully, there would be no stopping him because he appeared to be a guy on the verge of firing. With a dangerously low voice, Alexander commanded, "Say it again."his voice dangerously low. “You agreed to what?”Dysis's claws dug into her palms as she gulped forcefully. There was nothing she could do. Despite Alexander's brutality, she understood that he would never sacrifice a friend like Lucian when Lucian's life was at stake. She made herself look into his eyes.“I agreed to
As Dysis's heart was pounding on her chest like a drum as she rushed through the darkened corridors of the Levi estate. She had no time to second-guess her decision. She was aware that Alexander had pursued Max, and she had no intention of not doing anything about it and just standing there, waiting helplessly.The garage was dimly lit, the hum of engines filling the space. She crouched behind a column, her sharp eyes locked on Alexander’s black SUV. He was talking with John, his voice low and commanding.Now or never.The moment they turned away, Dysis darted forward, silent as a shadow. She reached the back of the SUV, fingers trembling as she pressed the latch. Locked.Her abdomen constricted. However, just when she was ready to move away, she caught the soft beep of the car's locks disengaging. A guard had remotely unlocked the doors as they got ready to depart. This is the one. With a quick motion, she yanked the boot open just enough to slip in, folding her body into the cramp
The atmosphere in the Levi estate was heavy with stress. Alexander was in his office, gazing at the monitor that had recently turned off. The vision of Lucian, wounded yet resilient, was etched into his memory. The manner in which Max drove the knife into him without a moment's pause, the sly grin on his face—it was a provocation, a test, a requirement. Max wanted Dysis. Dysis was still shaken, her fists tightly formed as she attempted to regain her balance. Her mind raced through different scenarios, none of which were optimistic. She stared at Alexander, yet his expression was unreadable, his jaw tight with fury. John entered the room again, phone held in his hand. "Sir, we’ve got a message." Alexander took the phone and pressed play. Max’s voice came through, eerily calm. "An eye for an eye, Levi. You want your doctor back? You know what I want. Give me Dysis, and Lucian walks away alive. You have twenty-four hours. No tricks, no games. You know where to find me." Silence fo